Psychoanalyze Your Lunch

Brown bag, brown bag, in the fridge..tell me what type of life this is! Everyone says that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and that dinner is the most important time for a family. Lunch, on the other hand, is a meal which we rarely neglect; partly because we are usually hungry around mid-day, and partly because our employers actually tell us we have to take one. But, what does your meal scream about you? Are we really what we eat? 


Unfortunately, yes, we are. Try out this sample menu:


Monday: Baby green salad, roasted walnuts, cranberries, grilled chicken, and Gorgonzola cheese. Warm balsamic dressing and bottle of 0 calorie flavored water. Snack: little pomegranate seeds and honey glazed almonds.


Interpretation: I love having lunch with my girlfriends!!! In fact, I love showing off my healthy selections while ravishing my mouth with little petite treats. I may have credit card bills out the wazoo but who cares?? Later, I am going to the gym and give my little fluffy dog, Oliver, a walk in the park. Starbucks, anyone? Chi latte, skinny, extra foam, with free market tea only!




Tuesday: Sushi Express Salmon and tuna rolls, miso soup, and organic rice crackers. Snack: Fuji apple and Voss water, and must eat with chopsticks!


Interpretation: Why the hell aren't there any good sushi places around here? I need a job with more culture...these people are so ignorant. In fact, these people didn't even know what sushi was until they saw The Breakfast Club. Ugh... I just can't connect. Later I am going to read Sylvia Plath in the park and hit up some wi-fi from my neighbor, on my Mac, and blog.


Wednesday: Leftovers! Meatloaf slices, mac & cheese, and a pudding cup. Snack: goldfish and a diet coke.


Interpretation: Why am I the designated lunch maker in the house? Do I wear a hair net?? I barely made it out of the house this morning because I had to get everyone ready. Lunch?? What Lunch?? Will I even have time to eat this crap because on my lunch break I have to run to the post office and the dry cleaners. Work is my escape but I have a million things to do once I get home. Joey has football, Sally has swim, then dance.  I don't even remember when I signed Jacob up for karate. Later, I am going to Target to pick up some vacuum cleaner bags and eat a roll of cookie dough by myself. Seriously. 


Thursday: One South Beach frozen meal,  1/4 cup cashews, 1Polly-O string cheese, and plain yogurt. Snack: 30 roasted chick peas, 3 sugar free candies, and black coffee.


Interpretation: I can do this. Really, how hard can it be? Look, I am a successful person, but, I just need to watch what I eat. I am not even overweight!! But, if I want to look great in those skinny jeans, I'll just do this for a few weeks!! Who am I kidding?? Later, I am going to hit the elliptical for 1/2 hour, meet my girlfriends at the new "steam yoga" joint, Tweet my speed-dating updates, and suck on Fudgesicles while I drool over McDreamy. 


Friday: Tuna sandwich on wheat, slightly soggy, wrapped in tin foil, yogurt, side salad of lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Snack: sugar-free Jello, carrot sticks, and a Chunk bar.


Interpretation: How the hell did I end up eating a tuna sandwich at my desk by myself?? FML this is just pathetic and embarrassing. No wonder why I am skipping my high school reunion. I guess next I will find myself at a department store buying over-sized sweaters with embroidered animals on it. Whoa...holy wake up call!! Later, I am updating my resume. At this point, I am willing to do just about anything to be eating a grilled chicken salad with my girlfriends. 

All in all, our lunch can scream more about us than a new haircut. The best part is, you can change your lunch tomorrow!! 

Dad's Anthracite

There are some things in my life that I appreciate now, more than when I had them.
My dad's coal stove is one such thing: As a teenager, it used to bother me to go to my father's house in the country on the weekends (RD#3 Dalton, PA--just 1 mile from Lake Winola, 1.5 miles past the Baylor Ice Co., on the corner of Freeman Rd and Purdy Rd, right next door to the one-room-schoolhouse and cornfield).

As much as I loved spending time with my sister and him, it seemed so far removed from everything. I never even told my friends that we had a coal stove. My father, son of Al Leggat from A. Leggat & Co. Heating and Cooling, to this day, knows more about green energy than Al Gore. When my father bought our house in Dalton, he installed a beautiful coal stove in the basement, which he ran every winter using Pennsylvania anthracite coal. Besides heating the house, the coal stove served many useful purposes. I loved it when my father would fill a metal pot with water, and place it on the stove for humidity. Or in the middle of winter, after we would make fresh squeezed orange juice from the ripe oranges from FL, he would put the rinds on the stove and let them dry. The whole house was perfumed with ripe oranges all month long. The stove would force such warm air, that after I took my shower, I stood in front of it for 10 min. and my hair would dry. (My father also had tons of Lubriderm Lotion on hand for my constant dry skin). My father would also deposit the white ash onto the driveway. There was never a need for rock salt. Any excess ash went onto a mound right next to the compost pile. I believe it was the combination of the ash and compost that produced some of the most random vegetables growing in that area. He would let them grow and the woodchucks would eat them. How amusing it was to watch them in the yard.
Speaking of creatures, I will never forget one spring. My father was cleaning the exhaust pipe. He was meticulous in doing this. I watched as he reached his hand into the pipe only to bring out a dried bat. Yes, the bat must have gotten stuck in the pipe and literally dried to death in the pipe. It looked like something from a Hitchcock film. Its poor little wings expanded, like it was gripping onto the sides of the pipe. Yes, I have been scarred for life!

In this day and age, when windmills are popping up faster than daffodils, it is nice to know that over 20 years ago, my father embarked on reducing his carbon footprint as a one-man journey.

Married to England

Jonathan and I went to England for 2 weeks for his brother's wedding. Enjoy the scenery. 

The Secret Ingredient

Long before I knew how to do anything,  I knew how to bake an apple pie. From the moment I was tall enough to see over the kitchen table, my Nana had me in her kitchen and at her side. Before that, I was under the table playing with her Tupper-ware and wooden spoons.  Everyone in my family could tell you stories of their favorite Nana recipe. They could each remember how they tasted, how they smelled, and how they felt when they ate it. After my baking partner passed, I threw in my baking towel. Over the years since, I have attempted to bake a few pies here and there, but they never seemed to match up to the pies Nana and I would make together; they tasted like they were missing something. Tonight, and long overdue, I took out my baking towel; actually, it was my Nana's. I fired up the oven and sunk my fingers into the mixing bowl once again. I am not sure how my pies will taste, as they are sitting on the cooling racks just waiting to be enjoyed, but I was sure to add the secret ingredient. 

Leggett's Gold Mine

Ok, so Leggett's mine is not really a gold mine. It is actually a closed anthracite coal mine. This photo was taken today and ironically  this morning, my husband and I coined our property the Leggett's gold mine. Why? Well, these beautiful images taken from the view of my front porch will soon be luxury homes within the next few years. Although we will miss the spectacle of  sunsets, we are happy to appreciate them now as our home appreciates in value! 

Autumn Sunset

I took this photo today when I got home from work, around 4:15p.m. Usually, the sun will set to the right of the tree line, over West Mountain. Because of the time of year, I was able to see the sun slip behind the Leggett's Creek mine, just across the street from my home. All of the leaves have finished falling, leaving the sky filled with a winterly scene of branches and cool hues.

6th Degree Celebrity

I've always wanted to have a document keeping track of all of the famous people I have met in person in my life. Here's my best attempt.

1985 I think the first famous person I ever met was Richard Harris. He came to my school when I was in 3rd grade and hand picked several children to perform in his adaptation of Julius Caesar. I was one of his children. My role was to wait upstage right until the girl with the flashlight gave me my cue to go onstage. While I was waiting, Sir. Harris exited in my wing, and every night, he kissed the top of my head. After he kissed me, the girl with the flashlight gave me my cue and I went onstage.

1988 Also while in grade school, on a typical vacation to Atlantic City, my sister and I had an experience of a lifetime. We were staying in one of the suites and were allowed private pool access during certain hours. These hours were also the same hours that the performers were allowed to use the pool. My sister and I played for hours in the pool with our favorite TV stars (we watched the reruns every morning), The Monkees, MickyDolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Davy Jones. My sister rode the elevator with Davy Jones, for which I am eternally jealous!! It is also fair to saythat The Grass Roots were swimming with us too, however, I was really not interested in them, nor would they play with our beach ball the way Micky did!!

1991 When I was in middle school I used to usher at the Masonic Temple, a local venue for traveling Broadway Shows. I remember I would run out into the alley behind the backstage area to try to meet the actors. One year I caught up with Barry Williams, or Greg Brady. I didn't even have a piece of paper to ask for his autograph. He gave me a hug and I can still remember the smell of his black leather jacket.

1996 In college, we frequently would have guest performing artist and directors. My freshman year in college as a theatre student, I was assigned the job of props mistress. One of my jobs was to create real torches for the production under the direction of Paul Barry. Well one day, Mr. Barry met me in the scene shop area and instructed me on how to make proper torches for the stage. It didn't look complicated to me as they were only made out of coffee cans and a little bit of sand. I should have known to trust my instincts as the grand curtain went up on flames on opening night!!

1997 I have been very fortunate to grow up in the very creative, and small town of Scranton. Hometown to Pulitzer Prize winner playwright Jason Miller, it is small enough that it is not long before you meet him out somewhere. Always ready for a conversation, and never remembering me each time I would meet him out, Mr. Miller bought me several drinks on different occasions. A brilliant man with a great style of conversation. I am honored to have met him.

1998-2004 While working at an upscale summer camp, it is more than fair to say that I met my fair share of children of celebrities and their parents. I don't think it would be fair to list them, as they were children in my care. To me, they were no more or less important than any other child. My love and experiences with them will last a lifetime, designer name or not. So, I reserve these few lines for all of the children who will be something some day, famous or not. And to their parents, who entrusted me with their care.

2002 (I think..will confirm this) It was a sunny day at the Portland Sea Dogs game. I was there with about 40 of my campers. We sat in the nosebleed cheap seats, just below the luxury boxes. Ironically enough, as I was getting our girls settled, who were trying to socialize with the boys camp sat just a few rows away, they quickly became distracted by watching me speak to a very familiar gentleman, former President George Bush Sr. He asked me about all of the girls and where we were from. He joked about my responsibility with them. Then he offered to buy us all ice cream. He ushered over a couple of the ice cream sellers. We were thrilled to have such a treat from the former President and his wife. It was a wonderful experience as he sat with me for a bit in the cheap seats with the former President. As the sun beat down and he became hot, he went back into his luxury box and our girls went back to harassing the boys!

2008 A couple of years ago I became involved with an organization for children who stutter. At our summer camp, my partner arranged for his friend and supporter Jessie Martin to make an appearance at our camp. He sat in on my counselor meeting. We had great conversations about camp and said, "I will send my kids to your camp someday." after I told him of my goals to own a camp.

2009 At our camp/organization fundraising gala, I had the honor of meeting some of

our honored guests. I spoke to B.D. Wong about possibly coming to camp as one of our "counselors." John Slattery and I

had a nice conversation about the camp and was a very genuine person to speak with. On our way out of the building, my husband ran into Bill Withers standing near the door by himself, as I was looking around the room for the ladies room. We asked if we could have our picture taken with him. He was such a gentleman and said to Jon, "A piece of advice, as you get older, you must always wait for your wife." The flicker of the flash had no sooner finished, and his wife just arrived from the ladies room.